Infant and young child feeding practices (IYCF) are crucial for children's growth and development but often deteriorate during periods of instability. A cross‐sectional survey conducted in three oblasts of Ukraine—Kyiv City and Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa— enrolled 724 children 0–23 months of age from 699 households. Using global WHO IYCF Guidelines, 12 indicators of optimal IYCF practices were evaluated.
Key messages
- Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices often decline during armed conflict.
- The sustained high levels of optimal complementary feeding underscore potentially protective factors for child nutrition present in Ukraine, such as domestic agriculture and social safety nets, that should be closely monitored and maintained.
- The link between formula assistance and reduced breastfeeding underscores the need for stricter enforcement and oversight of infant formula guidelines, alongside further research.
- Higher maternal education significantly predicted optimal feeding practices. IYCF programs should provide targeted support to caregivers with lower educational attainment.